Gratitude Matters: Saying Thanks to Caregivers

Gratitude matters to you and to us. At MedStar Health, we recognize the positive impact expressions of gratitude can have after a care experience. When caregivers receive expressions of gratitude, they often respond in a humble manner, quickly intending to move the conversation back to being focused on you. After all, it's how we treat people.

As you express gratitude, our caregivers not only hear you, but they also respect your interest in sharing feelings about care experiences, and those expressions often inspire caregivers–reinforcing that they are making a difference in the lives of others. And, receiving gratitude from patients and families helps validate the most common reason why caregivers have chosen this noble profession: serving others.

We know gratitude is expressed in a multitude of ways, from a simple (but meaningful) verbal “thank you” to writing a note or choosing to support the work of caregivers by making a gift in their honor. Simple acts of gratitude are impactful.

Your Gratitude Matters to Us

To better understand why expressing gratitude feels good, imagine a two-sided scale representing caregivers on one side and patients on the other. When a caregiver provides a positive care experience for a patient, weight is applied to the patient side, causing the scale to be out of balance.

Expressing gratitude for that care experience is often an opportunity for patients to apply weight to the opposite side of the scale, resulting in an important rebalancing of the scale. Because this scale is representing human life, that need for rebalancing often feels significant.

At MedStar Health, we recognize the importance of receiving your gratitude for care experiences, enabling a resetting of the scale to a proper balance. And, we encourage you to express gratitude because your words and actions inspire our caregivers every day.

We recognize that expressing gratitude is human nature and at MedStar Health, we respect your interest in sharing gratitude for your #caregiver. Learn how your #GratitudeMatters to us. via @MedStarHealth

Tips for Expressing Your Gratitude

Sometimes expressing your gratitude is not always as straightforward as it seems. Use the following tips to make sure your appreciation comes through loud and clear:

Don’t be afraid to say thank you: It’s meaningful for caregivers to hear patients and family members express gratitude, as it makes them feel like they’re making a real difference in people’s lives.

Identify a personal and unique way to do it: We all enjoy giving thanks in different ways. While some people enjoy baking brownies and delivering them to nurses’ stations, others prefer to make a philanthropic investment in honor of their caregiver and care experience.

Perform acts of gratitude often: Your expression of gratitude is not limited to one time. The more you give thanks, the greater impact you can have on the caregiver and future patients.

Expressing gratitude to a caregiver can go a long way in not only making us feel good, but also positively impacting everyone’s day. We recognize how meaningful your gratitude is and invite you to express your gratitude.

Would you like to thank a MedStar Health associate for making a positive impact on your life or a loved one’s life?